Twelve Days of Christmas
by StudyInViolet
Summary: The Glee Club celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas in a collection of loosely connected one-shots with a focus on the full ensemble.  Day Twelve: New Directions
1. First Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

A/N: This the first in a series of holiday centric one-shots I wanted to do. They're going to be loosely related intertwined with a story I started up here. Just as a warning I default to canon couples, because I really only ship one couple, but I'm a big fan of the friendships in the club so it is ensemble focused. Expect to see lots of characters as I'm going to do my best to include everyone. Each new update will be tagged with the main character/ major player of that one-shot.

* * *

_On the first day of Christmas..._

Rachel had big plans for the first Christmas as a one half of a couple. They were plans that were inspired by seeing how her parents were so affectionate with each other. From the kisses when they thought she wasn't looking, to those rainy days when they curled up on the sofa watching Daddy's favorite vintage movie musical.

That affection plus a lifetime of analysis female leads and their various paramours led her to realize that Christmas was the ultimate romantic holiday only second to Valentines. Which meant that there were several things a girl needs to do with her boyfriend in the Christmas season even if said was of Jewish faith.

Making a list she placed down various moments she wanted to recreated, and started putting her plans in action.

But first she had to find her glitter.

The next day, she approached Finn with advent calendar each day marked with a certain moment she wished to recreate.

"What this?" he asked staring as she placed it in his locker right above their cat calendar.

"It's an Advent calendar. They're very popular in England, each day you open it to find a different gift waiting for you lasting to Christmas Day. But in this case I altered it to make it things we can do together."

"But you're Jewish," Finn stammered, "you were going about this holiday I had to come to see at your house this week."

"And you will," Rachel said gently tugging at his jacket. "It doesn't mean I appreciate some of the more secular traditions, and anyway while I mostly identify with my Jewish heritage my other dad is Christian and I can't help to enjoy some of the benefits of partaking in the holiday."

"Isn't it a bit weird," Finn said staring at the calendar, "and I don't think that there's so many things we can do in a month."

"You'd be surprised," Rachel said assuredly as she thought of the bunches of mistletoe she had stored in her locker, and her strategic places to position them. But it might take more than mistletoe to get him really excited about it. Pecking him on the cheek, Rachel went off to enlist the others to help.

Quinn and Sam blew her off, Puck was out of the question, Mike quickly ducked out of the way into the astronomy room, and Kurt kindly reminded her he wasn't driving up two hours to help her put nargled ingested plants on the ceiling. She almost got Brittany but she was dragged off by a very determined Santana. That left…

"I'm telling you it looks like Hogwarts," Artie said adamantly to Tina and Mercedes as he turned his laptop towards them as they sat in the choir room. "Look at those decorations!"

"I told you," Mercedes said to Tina, "not to let him have a Harry Potter marathon. Kurt's going to kill him when he comes back for the break."

"We still haven't figured out how he's going to be part of Secret Santa without someone knowing he had sent the present." Tina said.

"We could just have everyone send it by post, with no return address." Artie proposed.

"Are you kidding me?" Mercedes interrupted, "My uncle-"

"You're doing Secret Santa!" Rachel squealed jumping up from around the piano.

Last year Tina and Artie would have averted their eyes ignoring her, and Mercedes would threatened cut her or claim something else stereotypically threatening. But today, they merely looked up in surprise at the box of in her hands.

"I thought Mr. Schue fully the deck the holly in this place," Tina said looking at the decorations that graced the rooms, "are you going to put a menorah in here?"

"Not exactly," Rachel said, "I need your help, I got an Advent calendar for Finn and myself to celebrate the season."

"And you need our help," Mercedes cut in, "we're not your elves."

"But we will help you," Artie put the laptop aside and rolled up to reach for the box on top of the piano Rachel lifted it up out of his reach.

"Nevermind that, I want in."

Tina frowned, "In what?"

"Secret Santa." Rachel said adamantly.

"Gurl, yo crazy," Artie remarked.

"Why not?" Rachel said putting her hands on her hips, "It's perfectly reasonable question."

"We're just doing it with the four of us," Mercedes said, "that way Kurt wouldn't get suspicious we were trying get him to celebrate Christmas."

"I like Kurt too," Rachel protested, "and ever since he went off Dalton it hasn't been the same…" She gasped, "Why doesn't the whole club do it, A New Directions Gift Exchange.! We can draw names out of hats everything! This could be the thing to lift our spirits to get in gear for Regionals!"

Artie looked to Tina who looked to Mercedes who shrugged at Artie.

"If we tell her no," Artie said, "she'll tell everyone."

"I'm not afraid of them," Tina said quickly, "Except for Lauren."

"Why not though?" Mercedes said, "We'll be buying most of them presents anyway."

"So it's settle then," Rachel said clapping her hands together, "next Glee Club meeting I'll pass the hat around, I'll tell them it was your idea of course, as we'll have until the last day before break to get our presents. This is going to be great! Maybe we should have a party too-"

"No!"

Rachel turned to them, and felt her smile drop. She was overdoing it again. She promised herself she wouldn't keep doing this. Not when she was sure they were just pretending to like her.

"We'll do the party," Artie blurted out, as Tina stared at him. Mercedes covered her face, muttering something her breath. "You're Jewish anyway, why should you plan a Christmas party?"

"As almost offensive as that is," Rachel beamed her good spirits returned, "thank you very much." She dropped the box in his lap.

"You're welcome." He said wryly picking up a pair of reindeer antlers.

Rachel left the choir room, with a slight bounce in her step giddy as if she sung her favorite Barbra ballad. Maybe she might not get to have the prefect romantic holiday with Finn but if she could celebrate something with the club it might be just as good! She would need someone to recount of her early days as a rising Broadway star after all.

"Rachel."

Finn stopped her in the hallway holding a necklace in front of her. "Happy Hanukkah. I was going to wait for Christmas since you kinda of celebrated it and I was talking to Puck who as going on and on how he had weighted dreidels and was going steal the pants off his cousins, and realized tonight's the first night. And thought you should get it now before I forgot the rest of the nine days." He placed it her hand. "You'll wear it right?"

Rachel smiled as she clutched the star in her hand, trying not to tear up at the fact he cared enough to make sure it was a six pointed star.

"Thank you," she said quietly before stretching on her toes to kiss him. "It's eight days actually, but that's okay. And you can forget about the advent calendar, I was just going to extremes again we can do something with just the club-"

"I'm actually quite excited about it," he said interrupting her as he wrapped an around her shoulders, "I peeked ahead, and I always wanted to make a gingerbread house, it's like cake right?"

_... I received a gold star under a clump of mistletoe._


	2. Second Day

Twelve days of Christmas

* * *

_On the second day of Christmas..._

Tina was quite certain she was going to end up with someone she was clueless to find a gift for. There were a few she knew what exactly to get, but for others she was afraid she might have to go buy candy or something. She hated giving bad gifts when someone might have been thoughtful with her. She was some ways scarred by from the last Secret Santa exchange she did.

But as Rachel eagerly proffered the hat to Tina making her be the first one to break the ice, Tina couldn't help but refrained before she put her hand in it.

She did her best to stop from groaning as she read the name on her slip of paper.

Of course she got the person she knew least about.

"I'm going to give the worse gift ever," Tina moaned as she pressed her forehead on the locker adjacent to Artie's.

"As long you don't give whoever it is a book of depressing poems," he said as reached to switch out his books, "you're golden."

Tina looked up, and lazily glared at him. "You said liked it!"

"It must have been something else," he said quickly, "but if you're stuck with ideas I could help you."

"I'll think on it hey ,what's that?"

As she pointed at the box resting on the shelf in his locker, he moved to slam the door shut but she stuck her boot in the way.

"Nothing," Artie protested, but Tina had stuck her hands inside knowing he wouldn't dare shut the door now.

"It can't be your Secret Santa gift, it's too soon," Tina said "it is a project for class?" Tina opened the box, and found a pair of black boots, or rather she realized as took a closer look black ice skates, evident by the blades, with a music note heart etched on the sides. The same image she eventually wanted to get as a tattoo when she got old enough.

"These definitely aren't yours," Tina said softly not looking at Artie, who looked like he wanted to take the box from her and wheel away really fast.

"Mercedes said you liked ice skating," He said quickly tapping his hands on his wheels, the motioning speeding up the quicker he talked, " and Rachel threatened to sic her dads' friends on the rink if they weren't opened minded about their patrons and-"

"Artie," Tina cut in softly closing the lid on the box, "I don't ice skated, but I like watching it on TV."

"Oh." He smiled in brightly fake manner taking the box from her, "I'm sure my sister would grow into them in a five years or so."

"I can learn how to skate," Tina said taking the box back, "especially since Rachel threatened to sue. Can't let it go to waste."

"It actually worked," Artie added closing his locker, rolling down the hallway "because she didn't even know we had an ice rink."

"Maybe we can go shopping for Secrets Santas afterwards" Tina added falling into step with him.

"I'm not telling you, it would defeat the purpose," Artie protested, "and ruined the fun."

"Whose fun? Besides like you said, we can help each other, I pretty sure you don't know what to get yours."

Artie scowled, "I have no idea what to get her either- hey!"

Tina dashed off down the hallway giggling he yelled after her for ruining the surprise of gift giving, clutching her early Christmas present close to her heart.

_…I received a pair of ice skates._


	3. Third Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

* * *

_On the third day of Christmas…_

Puck did not like the green stuff that appeared in the choir room like mold on old bread.

He fixed it with a glare and wondering about ripping it down.

He had nothing against the holiday, but with Rachel prancing around with Christmas cheer in a very bad Jew manner he felt kind of down on it. Ever since his Nana fussed at him for rigging the driedel game he was kinda of in the dumps and not in the mood to get holiday cheer.

But there was something else about the holiday about families coming together that was seriously bugging him, so he didn't dwell too much on the thought. He had that secret santa stuff to do, but he got a easy person so it was all good, and he managed to keep all the money from the game, he at least something to look forward to.

But quite suddenly his day got vastly better. In the doorway of the choir room, Santana and Brittany were locking lips.

It's not hot lesbian porn video level, nor did it last long as the two girl pulled back and locked pinkies as they entered the room, but it put a leer on his face. Small pleasures.

"Wipe your face Puckerman," Santana snapped as they passed him, "it'll get stuck like that."

The rest of the group filtered in, some quickly passing through the door, and others like Mike who skated the edge of the doorway like he was going to be burned. Even Mr. Schue took care to enter, which made Puck wonder which one planted trap above the door and why didn't see fit to tell him the king of pranks.

As Mercedes and Sam came through the door, Tina called out, "look up!"

They paused doing so and Mercedes glowered at Tina.

Sam merely looked clueless, but that wasn't anything different.

"What's going on?"

"Tradition." Mercedes reached up an pecked him lightly on the lips, before she walked away leaving him looked even more confused.

"What's going on?" he asked as the rest of the club laughed.

Standing in front of her friends Mercedes pointed at the clump of green stuff Puck hadn't noticed at all. "You better move that mistletoe, you put it there on purpose!"

"How did you even reach," Brittany asked from the row above them, "you're both like midgets."

"Okay guys," Mr. Schue said waving sheet music, "I got a new song let's run through it real quick."

After another session in which Rachel expressed extreme disapproval of the song, and offered it up to someone else, huffing and buffing about Schue ridiculing her talent with sub par suggestions, practice ended and everyone filed out.

Puck still stayed where he was though, watching in interest as Mercedes threatened Tina and Artie again to move the mistletoe before her phone rang and she stormed out.

"I told you she wouldn't think it would be funny," Tina said as Artie wheeled up underneath the offending plant and locked his wheels.

"Gurl, it was your idea."

Tina hit him on the back of his head, and kicked off her boots before she stood on the arm of his wheelchair.

Puck watched all of this with vast interest as Tina carefully removed the mistletoe, jumped down, waited for Artie to pick a new spot and climbed back up to replace it.

It took a very little time, and Puck figured there might be something wrong with Artie since he didn't take advantage of it all. Especially since that thing-

Puck wasn't one to inspiration that didn't involve a few things that may or not be legal, but this was good one.

It was one thing for Brittany and Santana to smooch under the plant, but the fact it got Mercedes and Sam to kiss when he was pretty sure there was nothing going with them was cool. Beyond cool as in a way there was certain baby mama of his that could be convinced of the same magic the plant offered.

With the choir room to himself, he ripped the mistletoe off the ceiling and went looking for Quinn.

He found her by her locker getting ready to leave.

"Hey," he drawled sidling up, casually placing the hand with the mistletoe over the locker door so it hung over her head.

"What do you want," Quinn said briskly, "I have to go."

"Just wanted to talk."

"We do talk," Quinn replied as she grabbed her bag, "more than enough actually."

"You tell me to leave you alone."

"Which is the extent of the conversation."

"Ms. Corcroan offered to let us see her for the holiday-"

Quinn looked up, "I'm not talking about -, what's that in your hand?" As Puck nearly scrapped his hand as he hid it from her, she rolled her eyes as she shut her locker, "is that mistletoe? You know its berries are poisonous right?"

As Puck dropped the plant as if it caught on fire, Quinn pecked him lightly on the check.

"I'll think about it." She said as she left him there.

Puck stood there for a moment, and was reaching to touch his face when Brittany and Santana walked by with pinkies linked.

"You know it's bad luck," Brittany said, "the nargles will get you."

_…there were three kisses under the mistletoe._


	4. Fourth Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

* * *

_On the fourth day of Christmas…_

"Hello?"

"Bad news," Tina's voice came over the phone in a rush, "Artie's parents slapped a big "No" at hosting the party.

"Why didn't he call me?" Mercedes asked.

"Because he was trying to convince me to host the party instead!"

"You told him no?"

"Of course I did. It was his idea to volunteer us, he should be lucky I'm not forcing to go shopping on his own."

A beep sounded on the line.

"Was that you?" Mercedes asked.

"I don't know, I'm going to check."

Mercedes pulled the phone to see Kurt's number flashing on the screen. "It's Kurt."

"Patch him in, I'm going party line since Artie's on the other end."

"What's going on," Kurt said at once, "I got letter covered with glitter and stars saying I'm cordially invited for New Directions' first annual gift exchange. What's going on, and who told Rachel my address?"

"We're having a party the day after you get out for break and Dalton not that hard to find," Artie quipped, "it's not like it's Unplottable."

"Just find the gift," Mercedes said before her friends could start one upping each on Harry Potter references. "We're exchanging them at the party."

"Sounds interesting, where's it at?"

"Not at Artie's," Tina interjected, "or at my place since it wasn't my idea!"

"It's not my fault my parents use the bank that Puck stole the ATM from!"

"Puck is a liability issue," Kurt agreed, "maybe you can do it at school?"

"The school will be close by then," Tina pointed out, "it's either at Artie's since there's he has the largest space or we break into the roller rink."

"Well we could try-" Artie began.

"No!"

"Don't even think about!"

"Are you nuts?"

* * *

"Hello."

"It's not tacky to have multi colored Christmas trees is it?" Artie asked over the low buzz of noise around him.

"It depends," Kurt said, "if the trees are multi colored like Tina's hair or a solid color."

"I heard that!" Tina's voice was faint over the line.

"What color are the trees?" Kurt asked.

"Blue, purple, white, gold-"

"Talk no further," Kurt interutpted, "get either six white and six gold or twelve of one color is not that the color of an M&M."

"It be just like Christmas at Hogwarts- crisis alert."

Before Kurt could ask what was wrong, there was a beep. Kurt looked down to see Mercedes's picture on the incoming call. He switched to party line without a second thought.

"Crisis?" Kurt asked Mercedes.

"We can't decide if we should put stockings up," Mercedes said, "for decorative purposes. Tina's thinks it tacky."

"I wouldn't trust that," Kurt leaned back smiling as he heard Tina's protests on the other end.

"Why do they all have to be green and red?" Tina protested, "Why can't they be anything different, we can themed ones! They can have lace, ribbons, tassels even!"

"You're just upset thy don't make ones with skulls on them." Artie said.

"You're going to put stockings on the wall?" Kurt broke in before Tina could retort back.

"We got a fireplace poster." Tina said. "It's have fire and everything."

"Now that's tacky."

* * *

"Hello?"

"What would you say about showing the _Rudolph_ at the party?" Mercedes asked, "my dad just bought a new dvd since my brother stole ours when he went off to school."

"You want to screen movies at the party?" Tina asked.

"Why not, we're doing the misfit toys song for Glee."

Tina winces. "You know Rachel sings along with movie musicals."

"Get out!"

"She does, Kurt can vouch for me, call him."

"Stay on the line," Mercedes said, "because I don't believe you."

There was a familiar set of beeps and Mercedes repeated her question to Kurt.

"She sung all the way through_ Evita_," Kurt said, "I would have kicked her out if her vocals weren't superior to Madonna."

"I would have kicked her out," Mercedes said, "I hate it when people talk in movies."

"You clearly never watched the _Wizard of Oz_ with Artie," Tina said. "He can recite the entire movie."

"You said you weren't going to tell anyone!"

The surprise of knowing that was Artie was on the line was equaled to to his voice was nearly drowned out by Mercedes and Kurt's laughter on their ends.

"I said," Tina said with some amusement, "I wasn't going to tell them you wanted to reshoot the movie with me as the Lion, you as the Scarecrow, Kurt as the Tin Man, and Mercedes as Dorothy."

Mercedes laughter bleed into whatever response Artie had, but she did manage to hear one thing loud and clear.

"Wait," Kurt asked, "is the party a costume party now, because metallic makeup isn't my thing."

* * *

"Hello?"

"How's the planning going?" Kurt asked.

"Well enough," Artie replied, "I'm looking at the music right now. I was kicked out of the rest of the planning. "

Kurt sighed over the line. "I don't even celebrate it and I have visions of sugarplums dancing in my head."

"Maybe there's something you can get that we can't, I call the girls, hang on."

He dialed the number, briefly wondering how many phone calls that had made so far today.

"Did you convince your parents?" Mercedes said the moment she picked up.

"Party's a go," Artie said, "is there anything we haven't got yet for it?"

"I made signs," Tina said, ""Welcome to the North Pole" and "Santa's workshop" and I found fake plastic snow on Ebay."

"So we got a location, music, movies, decorations.."

"Food is covered," Artie said interrupting Mercedes, "my mom insisted actually."

"You told her about the pot cupcakes." Kurt asked.

"It slipped out."

Tina coughed and it sounded suspiciously like "word vomit."

"Anything else we got to do?" Mercedes asked.

"Invite people," Kurt said. "I can do that."

"By owl?" Artie quipped.

Tina laughed, as Kurt snapped, "Can we have just one conversation without mentioning Harry Potter!"

_…there were four party line phone calls._


	5. Fifth Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

* * *

_On the fifth day of Christmas…_

That morning when she want out for her daily jog, Santana stared at the snowman in the middle of her front lawn. It was a blight to the usually pristine landscape made worse by the fact the footprints that surrounded it was left exposed.

She wrinkled her nose as she walked down the perfectly cleared sidewalk and fixed a glare at the snowman. It had buttons for eyes, and a partially eaten carrot for a nose, and was holding a yo-yo.

Figuring it as the act of her brothers, she shook her head and started to job, muttering a curse every so often when the road wasn't perfectly cleared off for her use. She followed her familiar route through the neighborhood cutting through the park and eventually rounding around the frozen duck pond.

This early in the day it was empty and the snow warded of most of the annoying dog walker, but this morning it looked like someone was out by the lake. She slowed down, and saw she was wrong. It was another snowman, this one wearing a pair orange sunglasses and Hawaiian shirt. There was even a umbrella perched next to it.

She sped not wanting to think much of it. Leaving the park, she hit the streets once more passing through the shops and eventually the public library. This time she actually slid to an halt as she saw a snowman carrying a broom and wearing a mask mask as well as sporting the jersey of her favorite hockey team.

This was getting ridiculous she decided, who had time to build these things?

Passing the school took her pass yet another snowman, this one sporting pompoms with a bullhorn resting to its left. This time Santana couldn't help but smirk, knowing those additions would be the only thing that saved it from Coach Sylvester's wrath.

So many snowmen, so many odd ones actually. Who had the time and patience for all this?

Unbidden a slightly smile crossed her face as she suddenly realized who had been setting a small group of snowmen all around Lima.

Santana stopped and turn direction to another familiar route. She had just started jogging down Brittany's street when she caught sight of a familiar red jacket. Brittany was patiently patting down the bottom half a snowman, which looked rather elaborate since was sticking it included bells, garland, and antlers.

It would be Brittany who seek to decorated Lima in easiest way she could.

"Need some help?"

Brittany looked up and beamed. "Do you know where I can find a chariot?"

Santana bent down next to her, "I know where we can wheelbarrow though. Why didn't you ask me for help? Did you do you the one on my front lawn?"

Brittany nodded busy at work, "Did you like it?"

"I love it," Santana said, "thank you."

"Don't be silly, it's not even your Christmas present. I hadn't bought anything for anyone yet, expect my Secret Santa, I'm going to get him-"

"Britt," Santana said gently, "it's a secret, it's means I can't know, it won't be that fun at the party."

"The party's going to be fun. I never been to a robot's house before."

"Yeah," Santana said, "we won't stay long, I don't think I can tolerate Berry's good cheer, and all the cheap decorations."

"But," Brittany began on the head, sticking bells in for eyes, "they're our friends?"

"We don't need other friends," Santana said quietly thinking how it was stretch to call any of the losers in the club her friends. There was Quinn who managed to take back everything she lost once she got rid of the baby bump, Puck who wanted to talk instead of sext all the time. Berry and Hudson were annoying and going to put her in diabetic coma. Chang was too low on her radar to matter, and the Ken doll to annoying to consider. The AV chick was definitely not on it particularity since she was warm body until Hummel gets balls back. She supposed she disliked Latifah, Hawking & Mortica the least, but only because Britt seemed fond of them.

"I can't wait for the party," Brittany said placing the head on top, unconcerned as usual, "do you think Santa will show up. Or is it a secret?"

"I don't know, we'll find out won't we?"

_…there were five snowmen_


	6. Sixth Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

* * *

_On the sixth day of Christmas_...

Finn stood in the supermarket glancing at the picture he taken on his phone of the type of canned tomatoes his mom wanted him to pick up.

He had to started doing it after he accidentally brought home the wrong type. His mom had fussed for a while, but never understood the fuss since it tasted the same to him. Lots of things like that were big deals to others people.

Christmas was going to be a big deal this year. His mom was decorating a full week early, when last year they barely missed getting a Charlie Brown tree. Maybe it was about Kurt and his dad joining the family, or Burt was making her happening about Christmas again, but she was singing carols all the time. Then there was the Glee party, which he could tell between the bits of conversations and facebook messages sounded pretty cool, even though most of the others didn't seem too excited. Rachel was going on about the advent calendar thing and getting him to participate in Hanukkah, which he never understood completely why it lasted eight nights when Christmas was just one. But for Finn, Christmas wasn't much. He liked the food, he liked the decorations, he liked hanging with people, and having eggnog...

Eggnog.

Leaving the tomatoes on the shelf, he headed towards the dairy aisle.

He stared at the eggnog and tried to remember which brand he and his mother drunk on Christmas Eve. It was their tradition, ever since he was old enough to not spit it out. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn't remember which brand, so he bought one of each instead.

"Finn," his mom said later that evening just as he was heading out to Rachel's, "where are my tomatoes and why are there so many cartons of eggnog in the fridge?"

"It was on sale?"

_... there were six cartons of eggnog._


	7. Seventh Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

A/N: Dedicated to the Beiste.

* * *

_On the seventh day of Christmas_...

There were times when Beiste regretted signing up for volunteering at school. She thought Schuester was kidding when he said that Figgins was a notorious penny pincher. But she didn't know the extent that penny pinching went.

"You're kidding me." Schuester said across teachers lounge. "Figgins volunteered you to be Santa at the Mall? And you actually said yes?"

"It sounded like a nice thing to do, and the kids can't be that bad."

* * *

"I want a unicorn!"

"Can you give my daddy common sense not to grill in the snow?"

"I want Barbie to be professional again instead of being a scarlet woman."

"My mother would be very happy if you told George Lucas to stop making new _Star Wars_ movies."

"I want my Hogwarts letter!"

"I want to know your secret," said a very serious little boy, "how do you get to all the house in the world."

"Time travel," Beiste said, and when the boy didn't seem convinced she gently shoved him off, "why don't you run off before you get on the naughty list?"

As the boy stomped off, Beiste sat back in the chair looking at the eager looking girls and boys tugging at their parents waiting for their turn.

Truth was she didn't need Figgins to guilt or cajole her to the task. Even if she wasn't getting a penny out of it, this was what Christmas was about. There was something about seeing the hope of magic in those kids' eyes. Even with the most outlandish wishes, it was all about the belief of anything occurring. It may be the bit of sap in her, but she wished sometimes she could have that belief back. Not only would it make easier to face the world but it would help in football seasons too.

She smiled as the next child came up to her, and picked up her.

"And what do you want little girl?" Beiste asked.

The girl looked at her solemnly. "World peace."

_…there were seven outlandish wishes._


	8. Eighth Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

* * *

On the eighth day of Christmas…

Sam sat in the choir room, quite sure that he really didn't understand McKinley high students.

It was one thing for them have a Christmas party, all the cool kids do it. And New Directions he was learning was family of sorts, a rather dysfunctional and incestuous family, but he saw with Kurt's abrupt departure the need for the bond.

Kurt was cool and all, and very close to the entire group. He heard from Quinn a lot of stuff that went down last year, and what he didn't hear from her he learned in the locker room from Mike.

But despite all the glee drama he was surprised to see the course of the latest drama in the club was:

"We are not showing the live action Grinch movie," Mercedes said hotly glowering at Santana, as she along with Tina and Artie stood in the front of the choir room. "It's an admonition!"

"I'm with Mercedes on this," Puck said from the back, "I like Carrey and all, but it was bad."

"Puck you're supposed to be helping me get a Hanukkah movie on the list!" Rachel hissed.

"When do you care," Puck retorted, "If you're going along with this Christmas stuff, why can't I?"

Rachel bristled, and jammed her arm into Finn's ribs, "Finn!"

"I like the Adam Sandler movie," Finn sputtered.

"We are not watching that," Quinn said, "it's Christmas party not a politically correct Winter Party!."

"I don't care what you put on there," Mike said with a scowl, "but I hate "A Christmas Story."

"There's channel that runs it all day," Lauren muttered, "it make me want to take the blasted BB gun to shoot my eyes out.

"I vote on not showing _It's a Wonderful Life_." Santana said interjected, "that's boring."

"It's a classic!" Artie protested.

"…every angel gets its wings," Brittany said in a singsong voice.

"It's old, long, more preachy than a lesson by Schue, and it's not a Christmas movie, " Santana retorted as she picked up speed her eyes glittering as turned to Tina, "no more than "_Nightmare before Christmas_"

Tina flared up, her hand tightening around the marker. For a moment Sam thought she was about to whip out kung fu, or atlast attack Santana, but she turned around facing the board furiously scribbling, "There will be eight movies. Two are themare Rudolph and the animated Grinch. There are six slots left. What do you suggest Santana?"

Lauren watched with anticipation as the ball figuratively rolled in her court.

Santana merely lifted an eyebrow, "Charlie Brown."

The tension in the room deflated and Lauren muttered something Sam didn't hear.

"Anyone have any other suggestions?"

And they were back where they started again.

Listening to the yelling, Sam was starting to understand why New Directions worked better when they didn't plan things.

_…there were eight classic holiday movies._


	9. Ninth Day

Tweleve Days of Christmas

* * *

_On the ninth day of Christmas…_

Mike had a love hate relationship with his job at the coffee shop.

He had gotten it so he could buy his parents presents for Christmas this year as well as the Glee Secret Santa thing, and knew the value of working food service since it often meant he could home extra food. So there was some good days, particularly when it was empty and he could dance around as he swept.

But then it was bad on other days.

Today was a bad day.

"One latte, one steamer, one vanilla mocha, a chocolate brownie frappe, a double expresso, one soy latte, gingerbread latte, peppermint latte, and," Mike glowered at Artie, "one regular coffee."

"They make coffee here?" Finn asked he passed Rachel's drink to her.

"This is coffee," Rahcel replied.

"But not real coffee, Kurt says I pay too much to have my teeth fall out."

"I hope," Lauren said as she licked the whipped cream off her drink, "we get a discount since we know you."

"It's cool you work here," Sam said "thought you be teaching kids to dance or something."

"Food service is an honest job," Quinn said glowering at Puck who sat across from her, "it's nothing bad about it."

"Except when putting up annoying people." Puck retorted as he leaned back in the booth.

"You're annoying," Mercedes said moving her drink away from Puck's careless elbow. She leaned over to Tina. "How did nearly all of the Glee Club end up coming with us? We weren't even going out for coffee in the first place!"

Tina shrugged, "I have no idea."

Mike had an idea. He had an idea whose idea it was to clutter up the tiny shop with nine vastly different orders and one adamant Rachel who was disparaged at the lack of Vegan substitutes and abundant Christmas influences features, right in the middle of his shift. But he was going to let it go, as long as they tipped well. He was just glad he didn't get Abrams for his Secret Santa.

_…there were nine cups of overpriced coffee._


	10. Tenth Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

* * *

_On the tenth day of Christmas…_

Rachel sat in the back of the room glowering down at the rest of them. Puck was at her side, but he looked slightly bored at each growing mention she made of her Jewish sensibilities being deeply offended. At each word she made, he moved further and further away, his eyes glazing over.

Quinn rolled her eyes. Berry first embraced it in order to strong-arm Finn to doing stuff for her, but as usual whine the focus shifted she opened her mouth to start complain. She wasn't sure why she switched between that at whim, but she supposed the Christmas tree that got donated to them was enough excuse.

She stood back watching as rest of the glee club decorated the tree. Mr. Schue had the brilliant brainwave to have people decorate it with ornaments from their own homes. Brilliant in meaning that he didn't have to spend was extra they had on the budget on decorations.

She would perhaps be a bit a fonder if she had her own to put on the tree.

All around the other placed ornaments on tree. Some were handmade such as chipped drum Finn placed on the tree and the glittery star that Tina place on the branch with care. Others were personalized with their names such as the snowman with Mercedes written on its front, or the sled with Artie written in blocky letters. There were odd ornaments such as Mexican guitar that Sam place on the tree, and furry animal that Brittany insisted was a llama. Lauren stuck something that looked like it came straight out of a Dr. Seuss book and even Mike had dancing shoes painted on a plain orb. All that said something about their personality and their family willingness to put such things on their trees. Well, she caught sight of the angel ornament Santana stuck next to Brittany's llama, maybe not personality.

Her family didn't have ornaments at least not the kind she could just pluck off and stick on the tree. Her family trees were organized with a set color scheme, the ornaments expensive and fragile. She and her sister weren't ever allowed to touch the tree, and when she six years old she once asked to place an angel she had made art class on the tree. Her father had looked down at her in scorn.

_It would the ruin the tree._

This will be her first Christmas after her parents' divorce, the first Christmas after the baby's birth. And she didn't have an ornament from her home to put on the tree, but did she had a new one.

As the circle thinned around the tree she placed the ornament she had bought specifically for today, a silhouette of the three kings. An ornament not for her family, but for the baby she hadn't quite forgotten.

_…there were ten ornaments hanging on the Christmas tree._


	11. Eleventh Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

* * *

_On the eleventh day of Christmas..._

"To give back to community and for bit of advertising I thought we should perform a charity holiday concert" Will said at the beginning of practice.

Unbidden the rest of the glee club turned as one to their resident diva.

"What?"

"We're waiting for your reaction," Mercedes said, "you got something to say about doing Christmas song don't you?"

"Why would she, it's not like they're Hanukkah songs," Santana bristled.

"They make Hanukkah songs?" Brittany asked.

"I'm offended by this closed mildness," Rachel said, "I may be Jewish but I'm tolerate of faith. Why wouldn't I sing Christmas song?"

"Like she'd ever pass on a chance to sing in front of an audience," Tina muttered under her breath.

"We'll do the arrangement of a few songs we already talked about, jingle bells, the girls' number, and the mash up, but you're welcomed to suggest others-"

"Mr. Schuester I suggest we have a secular group number….."

Will listened to Rachel as usual, and trying to encourage the others to give suggestions. He managed to drag out eleven songs from them, a mostly secular mix, but their hearts weren't in it.

Morale was low despite the sectional win. And he suspected it had as much to do with Kurt's depature as it did the various dating games that was going on in the club. He heard about the party they were planning amongst themselves and he hoped with the concert things could change.

He didn't have much this Christmas, not with the divorce and Emma with Carl. He did however have Glee club and he was going to do his best to cheer them up for the holiday.

"Let's start with the holiday mash-up," Will said clapping his hands together, "from the top!"

…_there were eleven reluctantly sung Christmas carols._


	12. Twelfth Day

Twelve Days of Christmas

* * *

On the twelfth day of Christmas…

Kurt drove to Artie's house with his fingers tapping on steering wheel frantically. He kept thinking he might be late, though when he called from the road Artie assured him it's big deal mentioning they were still setting up since he and Tina went ice skating this morning.

Kurt was surprised the rink was opened that earlier, but it did lower his panic level along with the three other calls he made to the girls about what was the status of the whole thing since Artie never gave details in full.

He partially wanted to come oversee the decorations that his friends had done, because was heard from the phone calls and facebook update spams left him worried. Despite the fact he only celebrated the gift giving aspect, he was afraid what they might have come up between the three penchants of bright colors and clashing patterns.

However as he pulled up right behind Tina's car, he and saw Artie sitting on the porch wearing reindeer antlers and his wheelchair strung up with lights, those fears faded. There was still plenty left for him to contribute.

"White lights are classic and clean looking," Kurt said approaching him yanking the antler off his friend's hand and tossing them into the snow, "and would be more visually appealing."

"The girls voted for multicolor," Artie said with a shrug, "since they said no to the disco ball- Joke!" Artie exclaimed as Kurt made a face.

He opened the door for Kurt, and followed inside the Abrams' home.

Artie's little sister, Amy sat at the piano, her feet dangling off the bench as she pounded off key through "jingle bells". She waved at Kurt before she went through a rousing chorus of "batman smells."

The den had been rearranged since the last time Kurt has been there, with mismatched furniture tucked away as twelve white and gold miniature trees, tagged with names of each of the glee club members underneath it. On a separate table held a menorah with Rachel's name written on it, and Puck's scratched out.

"She insisted," Tina said noticing Kurt's gaze. She jumped off stool and patted the fireplace poster fondly.

"Haven't seen you in ages," Tina said reaching for his gift, "let put this up for you..."

"Don't hand it over," Artie cautioned in a loud whisper. "she's been trying to figure out who it is by process of elimination."

Tina glared at Artie, who looked somewhat abashed but didn't budge from his positions. Kurt managed to swallow his giggle as he looked down at his present. "Is that why you insisted they all wrapped in plain brown wrapping and specify they all be the same size?"

"Thank god you're here Kurt," Mercedes said coming in the room with a collection of stocking in her arms. "They have a bet going on that Brittany will tell who her gift for. Don't ask," She said before Kurt could speak, "Anyway which stocking did you want?"

"Clearly not the one with the skulls," Kurt said dryly, "it's tacky."

"I still can't believe," Mercedes said to Tina as Kurt pulled silver stocking out the pile, "you found one with it."

"Found, she made it," Artie said. He took Kurt's present placing it on the table with some other gifts.

"It was harder than anticipated… Kurt you don't have to help…"

"It's the least I can do," Kurt said shuffling through the ipod shuffle. "Wezzer?" Kurt asked.

"It's fun," Artie said with a shrug.

"My point," Kurt said and the girls nodded in agreement.

The four of them finished decorating the room, covering the walls, the furniture with festive trappings. Requiring heavy used a glue gun and lots of laughter as tinsel and fake plastic snow being thrown around.

For once Kurt didn't mind it get all over his clothes, the happy chaos a welcome change to the sophisticated and structured air that was Dalton.

"Kurt!" Rachel exclaimed as she bounded across the room, managing to him hit on the head with her gift.

Mercedes quickly grabbed it from her as Finn can in a slower manner.

"I didn't even see you when you came," Finn said, "did Mom and Burt see you?"

"Just a glimpse, what's with all the eggnog?"

Finn held up a bag, "apparently none of them are the right one, so I donated them for the party."

Artie went to put them up, and Rachel cooed at the decorations a bit.

In his absence the odd couplings of Puck, Sam, Lauren, and a very annoyed Quinn arrived to the party.

"Worst five seconds of my life," Quinn said by way of conversation to Kurt as she placed the gifts into the growing pile. "Never arrive in the same place as them."

Brittany and Santana arrived next in matching candy cane inspired dresses.

"I hope you like the penguin I got you Kurt." Brittany said cheerfully as they handed off their gifts.

Behind her, Artie groaned rolling his eyes, while Tina did a happy dance.

"What's with Elmira?" Santana asked, adjusting the straps of her dress.

"They had a bet going," Kurt said as way of explanation. Santana just shrugged and went to talk with Puck and Mike who rounded out the group.

As Christmas movies played in the background, food was brought out and Finn's eggnog opened in a punch bowl and light chatter filled the room.

Eager to find out what the rest of the club was up to Kurt maneuvered around the room like a pro eliciting tales from each member of the glee club he left behind. Mike told him about his temporary job at a coffee shop, and had fixed a glare on Artie as he described how nearly everyone in the club had shown up. Rachel complained about how a Christmas tree was placed up in the middle of choir room and how it offended her, as she gestured to the necklace Finn had gotten, but in the same breath gushed about the solo she gotten for the benefit concert Schue was having them perform at. Lauren sat on the couch watching _Love, Actually_ as it played, not sure how on earth it managed to get picked out of better films, and Kurt found himself agreeing with her. Sam looked on at amusement at various decorated cookie, telling him how Coach Bieste had a gig as Santa at the mall, and Brittany babbled on about a snowmen army she was creating while Santana nodded as she chewed on her breadsticks.

"You actually got them from Breadstix?" Kurt asked Mercedes , "how did you managed to get them out the door?"

"You didn't strike me as someone who was into carb-loading," Mercedes teased, "It was just a lure to get Santana here."

"But how-"

"Don't touch the eggnog," Santana said as she came up to them holding out a bit cardboard that was discolored, "Puckerman spiked it."

"At least there are other bottles," Kurt remarked.

Santana wrinkled her nose, "of course there would be, you misfit toys planned everything to the letter didn't you?"

"So we did," Mercedes's raised her eyebrow and Kurt was reminded of the relationship that switched between hot and cold quicker than a new fashion trend. "Something not to your taste?"

"Just wanted to say," Santana said tossing her hair, "I've been to worse, this is almost tolerable."

"High praise," Kurt said as the Cherrio went to where Brittany sat stirring candy canes into her hot chocolate.

"I know, but who gets wasted on eggnog?" Mercedes made a face, "I can't drink more than half a cup!"

"Maybe it's a test."

Kurt and Mercedes exchanged devious glances as they looked over to Sam. The blond was in a very heated argument with Artie about comic books. Kurt was a little shaky on the details but it appeared Sam was more of DC guy. Kurt absently clucked his tongue making a mental note in his head.

"I'm just saying Marvel has been more prominent role because it has underlying stories that draw people in," Artie said adjusting his glasses, "The X-men for example can be veiled example for people who are discriminated against such as homosexuals-"

"Artie," Kurt said interrupted him as Sam turned an interesting shade of purple, "why don't you tell everyone we're about to do whole gift thing."

"Sure," Artie said glancing at the cup in Mercedes's hand, "didn't Puck-"

"Nevermind," Kurt shoved Artie gently out the way, as he and Mercedes grinned at Sam.

"I heard you were looking around for the mistletoe a bit earlier."

"Yeah, because Brittany was going about nargles," Sam said, "I mean no offense," he said to Mercedes, "but I'm little paranoid."

"Well," Kurt said taking the cup of eggnog in Mercedes's hand, "I heard that eggnog, much like oregano wards away vampires."

"Garlic," Sam corrected absently, as he fingered the drink. "This would work?"

"Maybe not one glass," Mercedes said, "but several."

Sam looked at it thoughtfully and was about to drink when the music was abruptly cut off.

"Attention everybody," Rachel said clapping her hands, "the gift giving actives will begin shortly."

"Oh joy," Lauren muttered from her corner.

"Joy to world," Rachel hummed as she approached the stack of brown wrapped gifts, and proceeded to handed them out like the Jewish St. Nick she was.

"I see what you mean about her switching faiths as it suits her," Kurt muttered to Mercedes, "didn't you say something about her singing a song for the concert with heavy emphasis on baby Jesus?"

"It's not so bad," Mercedes replied, "to be honest this was all her idea in the first place, we were just going to do a small thing with the four of us. It's better with everybody I have to admit."

"Yet you end up doing all the dirty work like the good elves you are."

Mercedes shrugged, "That blame falls on Artie."

"And the here you are," Rachel said brightly handing them their last gifts before she scurried off to grab her own.

Kurt unwrapped his gift, unsurprised at the large stuffed penguin that Brittany had gave him. Trying not to smile at the cuteness of the gift, he took at the glance at his former teammates' gifts, and found not all of them were as pleased as he was.

Lauren was staring at the orange stripped beanie in her hands, her nose wrinkled, "I got three of these at home."

Puck whistled appreciably at the guitar strings in his hands.

Mike stared at the sequin glove in his hand, his eyes bulging out its sockets. "No way," he muttered, "no way, no way, no way."

Santana smirked at the Breadstix gift card in hand, please a cat with a bowl of cream.

Artie looked disinterested at the argyle sweater in his hands, something Kurt made note of since it would make it much easier for him to burn it.

Quinn pulled on one of the long white gloves he had gotten for her, smiling a bit as she wiggled her fingers.

Brittany was absently doing a bit of the choreography from the "Singin' in the rain" mash up they did with her cotton candy blue umbrella.

Finn was bemused with the miniature drum set and jumped when he pressed a button that started to play tiny strands of "Little Drummer Boy"

Mercedes rolled her eyes at the assorted key chains in her hands that included among other things the USS Enterprise.

Sam was making appreciative noises as he thumbed through the _Art of Avatar_.

Tina however scowled at book she held in her hands, " _Songbook for Altos,_" she muttered darkly, " I wonder who would have given me that?"

But all of these interactions were lost as a high pitched screech filled the air, that not only caused the club to jump as a collective whole, but even Artie's family to peer into the den. Rachel as usual was oblivious to this as she jumped around holding a collection of discs, between her nearly incoherent screeches exclaiming something about receiving the opening night performances of all the Broadway show that had opened in the last twelve years.

Kurt put his gift down and watched as Finn tried to call Rachel down, Santana and Puck tried to shut her up, and Quinn tried to trip her, while happy chaos of the rest of the group formed as everyone else tried to figure out who gave who what.

Smiling softly to himself, Kurt whispered, "Happy Holidays everyone."

_…there were twelve Secret Santas,_

_eleven reluctantly sung Christmas Carols,_

_ten __ornaments hanging on the Christmas tree,_

_nine cups of overpriced coffee,_

_eight classic holiday movies,_

_seven outlandish wishes,_

_six cartons of eggnog,_

_five snowman,_

_four party line phone calls,_

_three mistletoes kisses,_

_a pair of ice skates,_

_and one gold star given under a clump of mistletoe._

* * *

A/N: I wanted to take the time to thank each and everyone of you who took time to read this, and especially the people who reviewed and put this on story alert. Thanks a bunch, and happy holiday everyone!


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